Should internet retailers be forced to charge sales tax? (poll)

In this Oct. 18, 2010 file photo, an Amazon.com package is prepared for shipment by a United Parcel Service (UPS) driver in Palo Alto, Calif. States could force Internet retailers to collect sales taxes under a bill that overwhelmingly passed a test vote in the Senate Monday, April 22, 2013.AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File

The option to buy online and avoid sales tax could soon be gone.

A bill working its way through Congress would give states the power to require online retailers to collect sales tax. On Monday, a large majority in the U.S. Senate voted to take up the issue; if that level of support continues, the Senate could pass the bill as early as this week.

Supporters of the initiative say the bill is about fairness for businesses and lost revenue for states. Opponents say it would impose complicated regulations on retailers and doesn't have enough protections for small businesses. Businesses with less than $1 million a year in online sales would be exempt.

The issue is getting bigger for states as more people make purchases online. Last year, Internet sales in the U.S. totaled $226 billion, up nearly 16 percent from the previous year, according to Commerce Department estimates.